The R'Crurak Clan
Pre-clan History Tuskens Sand People, more commonly referred to as Tusken Raider or simply as Tuskens, were a culture of nomadic, primitive sentients indigenous to Tatooine, where they were often hostile to local settlers. The term Sand People was given to them due to their existence in the desert, and was in use from at least around 4,000 BBY; but the more formal name of Tusken Raiders was acquired much later, due to a period of concerted attacks on the settlement at Fort Tusken in 98-95 BBY. This later became the definitive name for the species. Specialists studying the past of the Tusken Raiders also used the term Ghorfa to denote an earlier sedentary phase of their culture, and lastly Kumumgah, for the earliest stratum of sentient civilization on the planet, believed by some to represent a common ancestry shared by the Ghorfa and the Jawas. In the culture of the Tuskens, to expose any part of the flesh was forbidden and seen as a disgrace. Kumumgah The Kumumgah were a technologically-advanced race that lived on Tatooine who defied the Infinite Empire. The Rakata punished this by bombarding the surface of the once lush world of Tatooine into little more than fused glass. This eventually crumbled and became desert sand. The extreme climate change split the Kumumgah into two races: the Ghorfas (who evolved into the Sand People), and the Jawas. The R'Crurak clan believe in the legend that the Tuskens are descended from the great Kumumgah, and have found several ruins with their symbols. One such symbol has been used to represent their clan ever since its founding. Beginnings There are many stories and legends of how the R'Crurak clan was founded. There are two that stand out the most. Both share similar details, and both have been handed for generations by the Story-tellers of the clan. The story states that the R'Crurak clan was originally founded by the great Tusken Or'Cor'R'Crurak. He started out as nothing more than a hunter, nothing important. His clan, which was called the C'ror'Rork'Ikr clan, were at war with another clan, and had been for many generations. The reason they were fighting is lost, but it is believed that the chieftains of each clan were blood enemies. The war lasted many years, and many a Tusken's blood was spilled on the sands, and each side was near it's end, until Or'Cor'R'Crurak was asked to lead an assassination attempt to kill the enemy clan's chieftain. Under cover of night the group of four went, and went to the defensive barricades, sneaking past the exhausted guards. They crept into the enemy Chieftains tent, only to find him already dead, slain by his own personal guard, actually deserters of the C'ror'Rork'Ikr clan, whom believed the conflict was useless. They gave Or'Cor'R'Crurak the enemy Chieftain's Gaderfii, and, to his surprise, also presented him with his own Chieftain's Gaderfii, whom they had also slain. The assassins had no aspirations of power, so they left him with it. Or'Cor'R'Crurak took both gaffi sticks and with them took control of both clans, making them into one, the R'Crurak clan. The second most popular legend would have to be the one in which Or'Cor'R'Crurak was always a Chieftain, and went about slaying smaller tribes leaders, one by one, and taking the survivors of the conflicts and assimilating them into his clan. Any who questioned his new authority of them were slain, and any who disobeyed him were exiled, and their Banthas killed. Or'Cor'R'Crurak's reign of tyranny and blood ended when his son, Kr'Rrk'R'Crurak, killed him, ending his father's evil, and taking up the role as clan Chieftain, making peace with those his father had wronged, and led the clan until the day he died. The gaffi sticks have been handed down to each Chieftain, and the last one to have them was Nartaga. Since his resignation, they are on kept in the Great Hall, next to the Krayt Pearls that those at Fort Tusken gave them. Both gaffi are in good condition for their age, though one was broken in several places. Recent History The R'Crurak clan was once small and established at the abandoned Fort Tusken in the deserts of Tatooine. The current clan chieftain, Nartaga, led an expedition to find the fabled Sand People Enclave. It was rumored to only be found when the Tuskens were at the precipice of a Golden Age. After a long journey, they located the Enclave and established it as the new home and base of the R'Crurak clan. After several months of peace and slowly growing prosperity, Nartaga relinquished his leadership, and a Council was formed to act as the leading body of the R'Crurak clan. This has brought great prosperity to the clan. With small amounts of trade with the cities, the Enclave has been rebuilt, improved upon, and made a paradise in the sands, at least by Tusken standards. Recently, a group of Dark Force users attacked the Enclave, using a Jawa Sandcrawler to get close enough to spring a trap. The clan took many causalities, and was forced into isolationism as they repaired and rebuilt the damage. They have constructed better facilities to train their Sentries and other forces and more living quarters, along with a lookout post on a cliff-face, to watch for incoming Outsiders. Civil War After the attack on the Enclave by the Dark Siders, clans that had long grown jealous of the R'Crurak clan began prowling on the Clan's scouts and hunters. The Sentry leader, Or'Rish, took it upon himself to strike a clan's main encampment in the desert, taking with him forty of his best Sentry warriors. They slaughtered all in the camp; women, Uli-ah, and warriors alike. The allies of the slaughtered clan gathered together and attacked the Enclave in retaliation for the attack on their ally. The wave of enemy Tuskens nearly overran them, but with R'Crurak Sentries guarding the Enclave they beat them back. Since then several more clans have joined the fight against the R'Crurak clan. Or'Rish has continued strikes one enemy camps, cutting off the attackers from their reinforcements. After Or'Rish died, the fighting only grew worse, until the Elder began sending out strike teams, just as Or'Rish did, except he did it in a surgical manner. Soon after that, with the assistance of the Bantha-class Assault Shuttle, a Yuuzhan Vong named Xarl, and luck, they assaulted the main enemy encampment, and slaughtered everyone there that did not surrender. With that the conflict was reduced to guerrila tacts by the opposing clans, which have plagued the Enclave since then. The Sentries have been slowly but surely taking out their camps, and killing them to stop them for good. Culture The R'Crurak culture is very different from traditional Tusken culture in ways that is has been shaped by several key members, such as the Elder, Nartaga, and Or'Rish. The R'Crurak clan's stand on Outsiders is a miraculous achievement, to even exist. They will allow any Outsider or alien enter their Enclave so long as the intentions are peaceful. The R'Crurak clan pride themselves on their ability to make peace, but their ability to make war as well is very outstanding. The R'Crurak Sentries, trained personally by the old warrior Or'RishRak'R'Crurak, are legendary among all Tusken clans and tribes. A small group can easily take on a hundred or so regular Tusken warriors, and have in the past. They make up the bulk of the R'Crurak warriors. They are trained basically since birth, to be the best that Tatooine has seen. Other then them are the regular warriors, scouts, hunters, and other classes of fighters like in any Tusken Raider clan. R'Crurak Shamans are notorious for being powerful in the healing arts. This only escalates the emphasis on peace, the message spread by the clan as a whole. Their ability to channel the forces of Tatooine through their bodies is very powerful. Most are taught once they complete their Rite of Passage, but some are selected earlier if they show signs of any abilities. Besides healing, most Shamans display knowledge of advanced telekinesis and some have learned to shoot lightning from their hands. The R'Crurak clan are developed farmers as well as hunters. They eat several different types of vegetation that naturally occurs on Tatooine. They hunt Dewback, even raising a herd to provide a stable food source, womp rats, and sometimes even Krayt Dragons. The clan farms the usual Tusken diet of vegetation such as hubba gourds, along with others; H'kak beans, pallies, and tatoes. These are grown slowly and painstakingly with the help of the moisture vaporators the clan has acquired. Sand People Enclave Rediscovered by an expedition of the R'Crurak clan, led by its then-Chieftain Nartaga, the Enclave is an ancient haven for the Sand People of Tatooine. It has great spiritual significance as well as historical. It is nestled in between two mountains, and from the front protected by a great stone wall; on which are four Ax-108 "Ground Buzzer" surface-defense blaster cannons with separate power sources. They are manually operated, and were originally at the Enclave, and repaired by the R'Crurak clan. The R'Crurak has made an artificial plateau in one of the two mountains, and on it built a place for the Sentries to properly train, a scrap yard of sorts, places for Tuskens to live, and more. A lookout has been built slightly higher up to keep a watch on the surrounding area. Plans are being made for the other mountain, and more of the first. Ships The R'Crurak clan is supposedly the first Tusken clan to have control of any type of starship. They have two in their possession. They are as followed: A Bantha-class Assault Shuttle given to the clan by Anven Firestar. It's hyperdrive has been disconnected, but with repairs would be capable of interplanetary travel once more. The Tusken Engineers (a loose term) have modified it for more weapons. It has been painted to be camouflaged in the desert. They have been working on a way to reconnect the hyperdrive to begin travelling to different planets and begin setting up outposts in the stars. ~Weapons~ 2 Golan Arms Quad Turbolaser Cannons 6 Slugthrower gun emplacements Prominent Members Nartaga Little is known of Nartaga's childhood. All that is known by his clan was that he was found at the age of two, by a Tusken Raiding party, a party of the very clan he used to lead, the R'Crurak clan. He speaks basic well, having taught himself as he grew, and he knows other languages like Huttese, Tusken, which is a given, and understands a little Jawaese. Nartaga soon gave up the life as a clan leader, feeling his people no longer had a strong enough need for him. He found himself being a figurehead, and he didn't like it. He took with him a small group of his most trusted clan members, and went off, giving leadership over the R'Crurak clan to another, though he still keeps his small hut at the Enclave, and the clan welcomes him with wide open arms each time he returns. Nartaga came back and settled at the Enclave, trying to help make the Enclave a better place to live, and allowing several Outsiders to join the Clan. He joined in an attempt to rescue Jud'dayus the Debase, but what happened at the rescue is unclear, and Nartaga ended up having to pilot a stolen ship back to Tatooine, crashing it in the Dune Sea, and nearly dying in the process. Since then many things have happened. He made contact with an old former Tusken, Ezran, and made allies with him before he disappeared. Force Users of the Dark side attacked the Enclave using a Jawa Sandcrawler, but the clan was able to fight them off, but suffered heavy losses and damage to the Enclave. The clan has since rebuilt, and even built on one of the two mountains that the Enclave is nestled in between, making a place for more to live, the Sentries to train, and other things. He has been trained in Tusken Mysticism by the Elder, approached by him one day and asked if he could teach Nartaga the way of utilizing Tatooine's energies. Nartaga, knowing this was a great honor, accepted, and has learned many things. He has the makings of a great Shaman, if that was what he wanted. Nartaga is now the Head Councilor of the clan, after elections and a terrible war has been started between the R'Crurak clan several other clans and tribes that have been prowling on R'Crurak hunters since the Dark Force users attack. After the attacks the Clan went on the offensive, and while Nartaga disapproved of slaughtering of their Tusken brethren, he liked the results; a steady decrease of the attacks on the R'Crurak territory. After the final attack on the main camp of the attacking clans, he went on a mission to the past in search of Kumumgah Data Crystals which contained information on the Kumumgah's war with the Rakatan, as well as the combined knowledge of many of the Kumumgah Shamans. Nartaga found two in his travels, and absorbed the knowledge of one, which has tormented him since it has happened. In his visit to the past he met with a legend of his clan, the Tusken known as K'Irk, a Dunewanderer that became a great Shaman, despite his tutoring starting at a very late age. He was transported back to Mos Espa, and was set upon by the inhabitants. In his own self defense he killed many people, and touched the Dark Side of the Force, going into a Rage that helped him resist even a stun bolt of a blaster. He was 'rescued' by two Outsiders; Neassa, an agent of the Organization, and a man who went by the name Red. He was returned to the Enclave soon after and has been in contact with the Elder so that he can complete his plan. Ish'Rak'Rru'R'Crurak Ish, as he is informally known, is in his early 60s. He is a member of the R'Crurak Council, and some would say blessed by Tatooine with the ability to talk the suns into freezing. This is a metaphor meaning that he is very skilled in the ways of speech. It was a natural talent, and he was the easy choice to apprentice the old Story-teller of the R'Crurak clan. He was one of the best story-tellers they had, but his memory began to fail with old age, so he had to resign his position, lest he be killed. It was considered dishonorable to leave the position to save his life, but that changed when Nartaga became Chieftain, when he was. He leads a quiet life outside of the politics of the Council. He has a reasonably sized home with his mate, and has several children, and many grandchildren. He feels that to become a great clan, the R'Crurak clan must accept that they cannot live in isolation forever. It has recently been found out that he has a terminal illness, and though he is unaware of it, his wife has had a hard time not telling him. Or'Rish'Rak'R'Crurak Or'Rish, as he is informally known, is the leader of the warrior class of the R'Crurak clan. He is around 84 years old, an extreme age, even for a Tusken. He has much left in him yet, and hopefully many years ahead of him. He alone made the Sentries what they are today, and he has received much praise for his genius as a battle tactician. He is a warrior at heart, and his great size retains much strength, and he sometimes fights, but is a little weaker than he was when he was younger. He has large influence in the clan because of his station, but does not abuse it. He is very stubborn. He is also skilled in hand to hand combat, and almost any type of weapon, given time. He is very stubborn, and somewhat stuck in the old ways of slaughtering his enemies without mercy, but he has been swayed to the side of Nartaga and the Elder. He is known for crossing the line sometimes, but usually it is for the greater good; at least in his eyes. Or'Rish died during the Tusken Civil War serving as a distraction to save the Yuuzhan Vong, Xarl. Gersh'Rik'Ur Rik'Ur, as he is informally known, was the personal guard to the Elder for several years after he had been found worthy to hold the rank of Sentry among the clan. He is around twenty seven years of age, and a natural leader among his people. He has fought with Or'Rish on several occasions to fight enemies of the R'Crurak clan. After proving himself in battle many times, the young Sentry was awarded the red marking of a leader, an honor for a Sentry. He has been sent is currently helping fight the Tusken Civil War, and under Or'Rish's order massacring those that would pose a threat to the Enclave and those of his clan. He believes strongly in honor, and takes no pride in killing his brethren, but knows it must be done. He enjoys the challenges that life brings to him, and encourages those under his command to overcome the challenges that they face, to better themselves and to help those in need. He was selected to replace Or'Rish as head of the Sentries, and as a member of the R'Crurak Council. He has shown just as much impatience as the deceased Or'Rish, if not more, because of he has not had as much experience as the deceased Tusken. The Elder The R'Crurak Elder is an ancient member of the clan, being involved in the clan one way or another for centuries, if not more. He has shaped the clan to greatness, and basically groomed Nartaga for leadership, in an effort to better to clan. He seems to have some as-yet unknown high purpose. He once told Ezran that he was not Tusken-born. Few have any real knowledge of his history, though he has said he has lived several lives on Tatooine. This is unknown. All that is known that he was once a powerful Shaman for the clan, but with old age he lost the ability to fully channel Tatooine's energies for long periods of time; at least according to him. He does not always tell the whole truth, and is very private. With recent attacks on the Enclave and his part in defending the R'Crurak home, his accounts of the power he wields seems slightly less than honest. He guards his past and his full powers from those he calls his family well, if not for his good, for theirs. He is Nartaga's teacher and father-figure. He helped raise Nartaga since he was found in the raid on his Outsider-parents home, and is besides the clan, he is the closest thing to family Nartaga has. He has the utmost respect from everyone in the clan for his supposed age and history. Some say he is immortal, made by Tatooine itself to watch over the clan, gifted with the power of the planet; though chooses to hide it. Others say he is the last of the Kumumgah, a spirit that inhabits a host body, passing from one to another. No one knows for sure, and this mystery alone, and the fear it causes, are enough for the clan to accept his wisdom. He is more than he appears to be. 'H'Krik, Gr'Ish, and Kalyrr' Three Tuskens abducted by The Eye of Palpatine, they were brainwashed and given the memories of Stormtroopers, but they did not retain most of them when their connection to the'' Eye'' was broken. They have since been stranded on the planet Pzob, living on the planet and killing local Gamorreans. Not much is known about their history yet, except what they speak of. Their garb has changed dramatically to better hide and protect them in the forest world. It is known that H'Krik was in training to become a Shaman, but was turned away by the R'Crurak's Elder. Upon this rejection the then young Shaman Initiate became enraged and did not but immerse himself in the powers he possessed, seeking to become more powerful and prove the Elder wrong. Gr'Ish is the natural leader of the group, and is often forced to put Kalyrr in check because of both of their misunderstandings of Shamans and their powers. He is deadly with his bow, and also with a knife he keeps in his boot. Not much is known about his past yet. Kalyrr is the renegade of the group, and had been in the process of being killed for misreciting a story of his tribe's history. When the Eye abducted him, he half considered it a godsend of Tatooine, until he understood it better. He has since let his anger control many of his actions, often bumping heads with both Gr'Ish and H'Krik. He is deadly with his knives, and a good shot with a bow. 'K'Shir'Hrt'Ka'R'Crurak' K'Shir, as she is often called to shorten her name, is the mate of Ish, one of the Councilors of the R'Crurak clan. She is in her late 50s, not as old as her mate, but she has mothered many children, and enjoys taking care of their home. In her younger days, she was often seen near Ish, even when he underwent the challenges of becoming a Storyteller of the Clan. They have been close since they were Uli-Ah, and it was no small secret when they were betrothed. Since they have been married she has gone through everything with Ish. It was the hardest thing for her to see him threatened with death when his memory began to fail him. She is often more upset with the things that should upset Ish than he is.